What law protects sensitive information gathered by healthcare providers about their clients?

The correct answer is HIPAA, which stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This law is specifically designed to safeguard sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. It sets national standards for the protection of health information and ensures that individuals have rights over their health information, including the ability to access their medical records and request corrections.

Understanding HIPAA is crucial for ensuring compliance in healthcare settings, as it mandates that healthcare providers, insurers, and any related entities implement safeguards to protect patient data. This includes maintaining confidentiality, performing risk assessments, and training staff on privacy policies. HIPAA's regulations are central to the ethical and legal management of health information, establishing trust between patients and their healthcare providers.

The other options, while relevant in their own contexts, do not specifically address healthcare data. For example, FERPA pertains to the privacy of student education records, COPPA focuses on the protection of children's online privacy, and GDPR is a regulation that governs data protection and privacy in the European Union, but none specifically protects healthcare information in the same manner as HIPAA.